Pool balls



L. F. KUTIK POOL BALLS July 24, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 23, 1960 INVENTOR.

Louis F Kutik Attprnev L- F. KUTlK POOL BALLS July 24, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 23, 1960 IIHIHIII INV EN TOR.

Louis F. K uti k MQZM Attorney ttes its

This invention relates to the manufacture of pool balls having diametrically disposed and contrastingly colored end caps and contrastingly colored identifying numerals.

The invention contemplates a molded pool ball having a main body portion of one color and end caps that are diametrically oppositely arranged of a different color and with the end caps being perforated whereby the body portion when molded of plastics will flow through the perforations of the end caps to conform to the curvature of the ball and with the end caps being permanently bonded to the body portion during the molding operation.

A further object of the invention resides in forming end caps of semi-spherical shape and relatively thin and with the end caps being formed of a plastics corresponding to the main body portion of the ball whereby the end caps when disposed in a mold device and held against displacement during the molding of the ball will become permanently united with the body portion under the relatively high temperature of the body portion and with the fluent plastics forming the body portion flowing through preformed apertures in the caps to provide the identifying numbers.

Pool balls heretofore have always been identified by numbers and attempts have been made to form a ball of one color and caps of a contrasting color and with the caps at their axial center being recessed to receive identify ing numbers.

The device of this invention resides in a novel pool ball having a body portion of one color, end caps of a contrasting color and identifying numerals of a color corresponding to the body of the ball.

These and further objects ofthe invention will be more readily apparent upon consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiment of the method of making pool balls and of the apparatus made in accordance with the invention and forming such pool balls and performing such method.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an outer elevation of a pool hall constructed in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is an inner face view of a premolded end cap taken along line 22 of FIG. 4,

FIGURE 3 is an outer face view of a premolded end cap,

FIGURE 4 is a transverse section taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of a pair of mold sections having the completely molded ball and the end caps supported therein,

FIGURE-.6 is a vertical section of a pair of mold devices in the spaced apart initial operative position and illustrating the manner of initially supporting the end caps prior to the closing of the mold and the injection of tr e plastics forming the main body portion, and

FIGURE 7 is a vertical section similar to FIGURE 6 but illustrating the molds in the closed position and with the plastics of the body portion having been injected to force the end caps into contacting engagement with the cavities of the mold sections.

Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly FIGURES 1-5 inclusive, there has been illustrated a pool ball having a body portion 5 and diametrically oppositely arranged caps 6. The body portion 5 is united with the end caps 6 during the molding operation of the ball and to enhance the bonding of the caps with respect to the 3,046,013 Patented July 24, 1962 body portion 5, the end caps have been provided with a plurality of circumferential ribs 7 upon their inner surfaces. The end caps are initially molded to be relatively thin and of a semi-spherical shape. Each of the end caps are slotted upon their axial centers as indicated at 8, such slots being varied in accordance with the particular designating numeral for the ball. The caps are also provided with a circular opening 9 that surrounds the slots 8. The body portion 5 and the caps 6 are contrasting colored plastics and as will be pointed out during this description, the plastics forming the body portion 5 flow through the circular opening 9 and the slots 8, forming a colored ring and a colored numeral in accordance with the color of the body 5. The caps 6 are obviously contoured in accordance with the contour of the ball. The forming of the ring opening 9 provides a central island area 10 and with the island being connected to the main portion of the caps by webs 11. The webs 11 lie below the surface of the caps 6 so that during the molding of the ball, the fluent plastics will flow through the several openings to be flush with the surface of the caps 6 and to also conform to the curvature of the ball. The ball, including the body portion 5, the end caps 6, the ring 9a and the numerals 8a are all substantially molded together into an integral unit. For instance, the body 5, the ring 9a and the numerals 8a may be of red plastics, while the caps 6, including the island 16 may be of white plastics. The colors will obviously vary for the different balls but in each instance, the combination of contrasting colors will be employed.

Referring now to the method of forming the ball, shown particularly in FIGURES 6 and 7, there has been illustrated a mold device, indicated as a whole by the numeral 12. The mold device 12 embodies a lower relatively fixed body portion 13 and an upper movable body portion 14 and with the body portions being movable toward and from each other. The mold portion 13 is provided with a semi-spherical cavity 15 while the mold section 14 is provided with a semi-spherical cavity 16 and, when the mold sections are moved to contacting relation, the cavities 15 and 16 have mating relation to form a spherical recess. The mold section 13 is held in spaced apa1t relation to a base plate 17 through the medium of spacer bars 18, forming a chamber 19. The spacer bars 18 and the mold section 13 are held in fixed relation to each other by any suitable means. The upper mold member 14 is connected with a cap plate 20 through the medium of a spacer bar 21, forming a chamber 22. The upper mold section 14 being movable toward and from the mold section 13 is guided by pins 23, that enter recesses 24 formed in the upper mold section 14 and whereby the mold sections are accurately disposed with respect to each other to accurately align the cavities 15 and 16. The pins 23 are held against displacement within the body 13.

Movable in a vertical plane Within the chamber 13 is a plate or piston 25 supporting pins 26 that traverse apertures 27. The pins 26 in the open position project above the flat face 13' of the mold section 13. Also disposed within the chamber 19 is a follower plate 28. The plate 28 is moved with the plate 25 through the medium of cylindrical bars 29, operable through openings 30 formed in the base plate 17. The plate 25 is provided with an underneath cylindrical recess 31, adapted to be traversed by a collar 32 formed upon a cylindrical sleeve 33. The sleeve 33 has frictional sliding engagement through a cylindrical bore 34 formed in the mold section 13, axial to the cavities 15 and 16. The sleeve 33 at its upper end is circumferentially arcuately shaped in accordance with the contour of the ball to be molded. The sleeve 33 also overrides and has frictional engagement with a cylindrical core 35 that has fixed engagement with the base plate '17 through the medium of a screw 36. The

spasms upper end of the core is arcua-tely recessed to conform to the arcuate shape of the recess 15.

Movable in a vertical plane through the chamber 22 is an actuator plate 37, centrally recessed at 33 for the traverse engagement of a collar 39 formed upon a cylindrical sleeve 40. The lower end of the sleeve 46 is circumferentially arcuately shaped to conform to the curvature of the recess 16. The plate 37 is movable in one direction by a follower plate 41 under the influence of compression springs 42, seated within recesses 43 of the cap plate 20. The sleeve is frictionally movable through a cylindrical bore 44 formed in the mold section 14 axially of the cavity 16 and with the bore also communicating with the cavity. The sleeve 40 has slidable and frictional engagement with a cylindrical core 45, that is held in fixed position with respect to the cap plate 20 by a screw 46. The lower end of the core is arcuately recessed in accordance with the curvature of the recess 16. The plate 37 carries actuating pins 47 that travers cylindrical openings 48 formed in the mold section 14. The pins 47 in one position of the upper mold section project below the fiat face 14' of the mold section 14.

The sleeves 33 and 40 constitute the impaling or locating means for the ends caps 6 of the'ball to be formed and previously described. The sleeves 33 and 40 are of a diameter to snugly engage within the circular slot 9 of the caps when the molds are in a separated position, such as that illustrated in FIGURE 6 and in such position, the caps 6 are initially engaged with the ends of the sleeves so that the caps are initially held in spaced apart relation to the walls of the cavities 15 and 16. In the open position of the mold section as illustrated in FIGURE 6, the core members 35 and 45 remain in fixed relation to the core members 13 and 15 and with their arcuate end portions substantially conforming to the curvature of the cap member 6 and the ball to be formed.

Operation When a ball is to be molded, it is first determined as to the contrasting colors with respect to the body portion of the ball and the colors of the caps 6. As before pointed out, the caps 6 have been initially molded in various colors in accordance with the color combinations of the ball and the identifying numerals. With the mold in the open position, a cap 6 is engaged with the lower end of the sleeve 40, the sleeve being forced into the ring like opening 9 a predetermined distance. A similar cap 6 is then engaged with the upper inwardly projecting end of the lower sleeve 33 and with the caps being held in spaced apart relation to the cavities 15 and 16. Now, when the mold section 14 is shifted downwardly to engage the flat surfaces 13' and 14, the flat surface 14' engages the pins 26, shifting the assembly of the plates 25 and 28 downwardly, causing the collar 32 of the sleeve 33 to shift to the opposite end of the recess 31 and a continued downward movement causes the assembly, including the sleeve 33 to shift the lower cap 6 into a relatively snug contacting engagement with the bottom of the recess 15 and the traverse of the collar 32 permits the upper end of the sleeve 33 to remain frictionally engaged within the circular opening 9. Simultaneously, the pins 47 engage the flat surface 13 of the lower mold section 13 and shaft the plate assembly 37 and 41 upwardly against the tension of the springs 42, shifting the collar 33 to the bottom of the recess 38. In such position, the lower end of the sleeve 40 will remain engaged within the circular opening 9 of the adjacent end cap 6 while the cap 6 has been shifted into closely contacting relation to the bottom of the cavity 16 and in the fully closed position, the caps are securely held by frictional engagement into the bottoms of each of the cavities 15 and 16. With the mold sections 13 and 14 in the fully engaged position, fluent plastic is fed through a port or gate formed by grooves 49 and 50 formed in one side of each of the mold sections 13 and 14 across their flat surfaces and with the gate communicating with the spherical cavity formed by the cavities 15 and 16. Heated plastics of a predetermined color is then injected through the gate to fill the cavity and with the plastics engaging the caps 6 and flowing through the slots 8 of the end caps to constitute the identifying numerals of the bail. With sufficient pressure exerted within the spherical cavity, the plastics force the end portions of the sleeves 33 and 4% in an axial direction to the point where the ends of the sleeves are flush with the inner contour of the cavities and with the plastics filling the ring-like opening 9. The movement of the sleeves 33 and 44) is limited by the shifting engagement of the collars 32 and 39 in their respective recesses 31 and 38, such movement definitely positioning the ends of the sleeves 33 and 46 in accurate contour alignment with the cavities. After the spherical cavity has been completely filled, and has flowed through the slots 8 and the opening 9 to be flush with the upper and lower surfaces of the caps 6, the plastics is allowed to harden after which the upper mold section is moved away to the position illustrated in FIGURE 6, such movement permitting the springs 42 to shift the plates 37 and 41 downwardly, forcing the completed ball from the upper cavity 16. The ball is also released from the lower cavity 15 by the knock-out pins 29 after which, the molds are further separated to permit the ball to be removed from the mold. As the plastics forming the body portion 5' flows into the mold cavity, its inherent heat tends to melt the ribs 7 and forms a completely integral ball with the caps 6 thus providing a pool hall having a central body portion of one color, while the caps 6 are of a contrasting color and with the ring 9a and the numerals 8a being in colored relation to the body of the ball.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very novel form of pool ball has been provided. The pool hall is formed in a manner that comprises contrastingly colored end caps with respect to a body portion and with the caps at diametrically opposite sides of the ball being provided with a colored ring and color numerals in accordance with the color of the plastics forming the body of the ball. The novel method of forming the ball includes the initial impaling or locating means for the end caps that maintain the end caps in fixed relation in the cavity during the injection of the plastics to form the body of the ball. The structure is relatively simple and highly effective for uniting contrastingly colored end caps with respect to a spherical body to form the identifying numbers. The particular construction of the end caps wherein they are relatively thin and corrugated upon their inner surfaces enhances the bonding engagement with respect to the body of the ball.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.. A pool ball formed from a molded plastic material, said ball comprising a surfaced body member including a main body portion, caps having a preformed concaveconvex shape of a plastic material and of a color different than said body member integrally bonded on diametrically opposite sides of said body member, each cap including a central disk having transverse indicia.-forming openings, said caps including a slotted portion below the outer surface thereof and bordering said disk, web portions connecting said disk to said cap and underlying said slotted portion, the main body portion of said ball including portions extending through said transverse openings and said slotted portions and overlying said web portions and anchoring said caps and disks thereto and forming a ring about said indicia-forming openings of the same color as said main body portion and indicia.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 690,861 Hoyt Jan. 7, 1902 6 Haskell Apr. 7, 1903 Bibeault Nov. 24, 1914 Clark Sept. 18, 1951 Sell July 27, 1954 Livingston Jan. 27, 1959 Loedding June 28, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 13, 1952 

